I love leggings, but I’m not 20 anymore, so I prefer long tunics over them. This one looked like a good bet, so I whipped up a muslin in a cotton knit.

For the first time ever, I attempted a full bust adjustment, using these instructions. I’m borderline in that department, and usually don’t need one. But it looked like a good idea here. Too late, I realized that this mock-wrap calls for an adjustment on both sides, since (ahem) that’s where my breasts are. I should have checked out The Sewing Divas’ advice, but apparently I was feeling geometrically challenged today, and didn’t quite get there.

Nonetheless, I did get a pretty good result:

Except. Except for that hem — what’s the deal with that hem? In order to ensure that I didn’t mess it up, I followed Sandra Betzina’s instructions and used Steam A Seam 2 to ensure (ha!) an unstretched hem. I even hedged my bet by cutting the SAS2 to size based on the pattern, not the garment. No dice:

Am I just terminally hem challenged, or what?

The bust part looks just fine, in spite of the fact that I really did do it all wrong:

And isn’t it cool, the way the stitching disguises the center back seam? And also keeps the untrimmed seam allowances flat?

OK, so this was a muslin. I’ll wear it around the house. But what on earth do I do to get those hems to work? Google, here I come. Again.

Update: After I posted my review of a previous top on PR, sewing for fun added a helpful suggestion there. She suggested using Design Plus Ultra-Soft Double sided fusible web from LJ Designs. I’m going to try it for the next shirt, but I’d already made this one.

3 Responses to “Vogue 8335 – Wrap Tunic”

You need a coverstitch machine. I never could get okay hems on a knit with my regular machine. Make sure you lower the pressure foot on your feed dogs and really push the fabric through rather than pull it. That’s really my only helpful tip.

If you used the same stretch stitch on your hems that is probably why they stretched out. You might try a twin needle with a longer stitch (3mm) and put your finger behind the presser foot so the fabric doesn’t feed out as fast. Or, as suggested by the last commenter, buy a coverstitch machine.

Thanks, Dawn and Gigi. Hmmm, so another machine will solve my problem? I don’t know — a coverstitch machine just for hems seems going a bit far. One more top like this, though, and maybe I’ll be ready to spend anything!

I think I’ll do some experimenting with feeding the fabric, as you both suggest. And maybe, Gigi, I’ll have to use a twin needle, as you suggest. I’ve been trying to avoid that, since I like the decorative stitch all around so much.

Isn’t it strange that it doesn’t stretch the neckline out? Must have to do with the grain, don’t you think, since the hem is cut much straighter than the neckline?